And how the rose-leaves began to flutter! Susan Jenks had handed out the
bags, and secretly, and with much elation had leaned over the rail as
Constance passed down the steps, and had emptied her own little offering
of rice in the middle of the bride's blue hat!
It was Barry, aided and abetted by Leila, who brought out the old
slippers. There were Constance's dancing slippers, high-heeled and of
delicate hues, Mary's more individual low-heeled ones, Barry's outworn
pumps, decorated hurriedly by Leila for the occasion with lovers' knots
of tissue paper.
And it was just as the bride waved "Good-bye" from Gordon's limousine
that a new slipper followed the old ones, for Leila, carried away by the
excitement, and having at the moment no other missile at hand, reached
down, and plucking off one of her own pink sandals, hurled it with all
her might at the moving car. It landed on top, and Leila, with a gasp,
realized that it was gone forever.
"It serves you right." Looking up, she met Barry's laughing eyes.
She sank down on the step. "And they were a new pair!"
"Lucky that it's your birthday next week," he said. "Do you want pink
ones?'"
"Barry!"
Her delight was overwhelming. "Heavens, child," he condoned her, "don't
look as if I were the grand Mogul. Do you know I sometimes think you are
eight instead of eighteen? And now, if you'll take my arm, you can
hippity-hop into the house. And I hope that you'll remember this, that
if I give you pink slippers you are not to throw them away."
In the hall they met Leila's father--General Wilfred Dick. The General
had married, in late bachelorhood, a young wife. Leila was like her
mother in her dark sparkling beauty and demure sweetness. But she showed
at times the spirit of her father--the spirit which had carried the
General gallantly through the Civil War, and had led him after the war to
make a success of the practice of law. He had been for years the
intimate friend and adviser of the Ballards, and it was at Mary's request
that he was to stay to share in the coming conclave.
He told Leila this. "You'll have to wait, too," he said. "And now, why
are you hopping on one foot in that absurd fashion?"
"Dad, dear, I lost my shoe----"
"Her very best pink one," Barry explained; "she threw it after the bride,
and now I've got to give her another pair for her birthday."